"Here we are, Cousin Harold," called a childish voice, and Rose Lacey
came running up almost out of breath with haste and excitement, two
other little girl cousins following at her heels; "here we are. Can you
take us now?"

"Yes," he said, "I was just about to call you."

In another minute the four were in the sleigh with the robes well
tucked around them. Then, Harold, taking hold of the back of the
vehicle, gave it a vigorous shove away from the shore, and keeping a
tight grip on it, propelled it quite rapidly around the lake.

It required a good deal of exertion, but Herbert and others came to his
assistance and the sleigh made the circuit many times, its young
occupants laughing, chatting and singing right merrily: the gayest of
the gay.

Meanwhile the others enjoyed the skating, perhaps quite as much. The
older ladies and the two old gentlemen seemed to have renewed their
youth, and kept up the sport a good deal longer than they had intended
in the beginning; while the younger ones, and especially the children,
were full of mirth and jollity, challenging each other to trials of
speed and skill, laughing good-naturedly at little mishaps, and
exchanging jests and good humored banter.

And Cousin Ronald added to the fun by causing them to hear again and
again sounds as of jingling sleighbells and prancing horses in their
rear. So distinct and natural were these sounds that they could not help
springing aside out of the track of the supposed steeds, and turning